Vehicular holding module capable of zooming information displayed on a screen and related vehicular electronic module

ABSTRACT

A vehicular holding module includes a frame for holding an electronic device, and a display device. The electronic device has a screen. The display device is disposed at a side of the frame for zooming information displayed on the screen.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 11/550,795 filedon Oct. 18, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporatedby reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicular holding module and arelated vehicular electronic module, and more specifically, to avehicular holding module capable of zooming information displayed on ascreen and a related vehicular electronic module.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With the improvement of wireless communication and electronictechnology, cellular phones have become indispensable communicationproducts in daily life. Along with the all-in-one trend, users wouldlike to be able to choose a multi-function cellular phone. Therefore,there are more and more additional functions installed in cellularphones, such as GPS (Global Positioning System).

A GPS cellular phone is more portable and cheaper than an automobileGPS, so a user may want to use the GPS cellular phone to replace theautomobile GPS. However, when the user uses the GPS cellular phone tolook up roadway information while driving, the user cannot seeinformation displayed on the screen of the GPS cellular phone clearlybecause of the not-big-enough screen size (about 2.5-2.8 inches). Insuch a manner, the use of the GPS cellular phone is not only constrainedby the small screen size but also inconvenient for the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a vehicular holding module comprising aframe for holding an electronic device having a screen; and a displaydevice disposed at a side of the frame, for zooming informationdisplayed on the screen.

The present invention further discloses a vehicular electronic modulecomprising an electronic device having a screen; a frame for holding theelectronic device; and a display device disposed at a side of the frame,for zooming information displayed on the screen.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt becomeobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiment that isillustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a vehicular electronic module according a firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a vehicular holding module according to a secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a vehicular holding module according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional diagram of the telescopic structure in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a vehicular electronicmodule 10 according a first embodiment of the present invention. Thevehicular electronic module 10 comprises an electronic device 12 and avehicular holding module 14. The electronic device 12 is disposed insidethe vehicular holding module 14. The electronic device 12 has a screen16. The vehicular holding module 14 comprises a frame 18, a displaydevice 20, and a connection mechanism 22. The frame 18 is used forholding the electronic device 12. The frame 18 has a telescopic part 24.The telescopic part 24 is used for adjusting a holding area of the frame18. The display device 20 is disposed at a side of the frame 18. Thedisplay device 20 is used for zooming information displayed on thescreen 16. The display device 20 can be a magnifying device, such as amagnifying glass. The connection mechanism 22 is connected to the frame18 and the display device 20, for supporting the display device 20 atthe side of the frame 18. The connection mechanism 22 comprises acantilever board 26 and a fixed part 28. An end of the cantilever board26 is connected to the display device 20, and the other end is connectedto the frame 18. The cantilever board 26 has a chute 30. The fixed part28 can be a screw. The fixed part 28 is disposed inside the chute 30,for fixing a position of the frame 18 relative to the cantilever board26. A combination of the fixed 28 and the chute 30 can be used foradjusting a position of the cantilever board 26. That is to say, when auser releases the fixed part 28, the user can move the cantilever board26 relative to the fixed part 28 forward or backward along the chute 30.When the position of the cantilever board 26 is adjusted to where theuser can see information displayed on the screen 16 clearly through thedisplay device 20, the user can use the fixed part 28 to fix thecombination of the frame 18 and the cantilever board 26. For example, ifthe display device 20 is a magnifying glass, a distance that the usercan see information displayed on the screen 16 clearly through thedisplay device 20 is the focal length of the magnifying glass. When theuser moves the display device 20 to the focal point of the screen 16,the user can use the fixed part 28 to fix the combination of the frame18 and the cantilever board 26 so that a distance between the screen 16and the display device 20 can be fixed to the focal length of themagnifying glass. In such a manner, information on the screen 16 will bedisplayed clearly. Furthermore, the display device 20 is pivotallyconnected to a side of the cantilever board 26. Therefore, the user canrotate the display device 20 arbitrarily to move the display device 20aside when the user wants to operate the electronic device 18. Forexample, the user can rotate the electronic device 20 horizontally orvertically to move the display device 20 aside. The electronic device 12can be a vehicular GPS (global positioning system) device, such as amobile GPS device or a wireless communication device. The electronicdevice 12 also can be a GPS mobile phone for looking up roadwayinformation.

Furthermore, the frame 18 is not limited to having a single telescopicpart 24. For example, if the size of the electronic device 12 does notmatch the size of the holding area of the frame 18, the user can adjusttelescopic parts respectively disposed at four sides of the frame 18 tomake the holding area of the frame 18 fit the size of the electronicdevice 12. In such a manner, the holding area of the frame 18 can besuitable for different sized electronic devices.

Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram of a vehicular holdingmodule 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.Components mentioned in both the first embodiment and the secondembodiment represent components with similar functions or similarpositions. The vehicular holding module 50 comprises a frame 18, adisplay device 20, and a connection mechanism 52. The connectionmechanism 52 comprises a fixed part 54, a gear 56, and a transmissionpart 58. The transmission part 58 can be a tooth belt. The fixed part 54is fixed to the frame 18. The fixed part 54 has a tooth structure 60.The transmission part 58 is meshed with the gear 56 and the toothstructure 60 of the fixed part 54. The display device 20 is pivotallyconnected to the transmission part 58. That is to say, the user canrotate the electronic device 20 horizontally or vertically to move thedisplay device 20 aside. The user can use the transmission part 58 todrive the display device 20 moving forward or backward relative to theframe 18. In other words, when the user wants to adjust the distancebetween the screen 16 and the display device 20, the user can move thedisplay device 20 through the transmission of the transmission part 58,the gear 56 and the tooth structure 60. And when the position of thedisplay device 20 is adjusted to where the user can see informationdisplayed on the screen 16 clearly through the display device 20, theuser can fix the distance between the screen 16 and the display device20 through the engagement of the transmission part 58 and the gear 56and the engagement of the transmission part 58 and the tooth structure60.

Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram of a vehicular holdingmodule 100 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.Components mentioned in both the first embodiment and the thirdembodiment represent components with similar functions or similarpositions. The vehicular holding module 100 comprises a frame 18, adisplay device 20, and a connection mechanism 102. The connectionmechanism 102 comprises a cantilever board 104 and a slide device 106.The cantilever board 104 has a groove structure 108. The slide device106 is disposed movably inside the groove structure 108, and the displaydevice 20 is pivotally connected to the slide device 106. That is tosay, the user can adjust the distance between the display device 20 andthe screen 16 by moving the slide device 106. The slide device 106comprises a telescopic structure 110 fixed telescopically to the groovestructure 108.

Please refer to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a sectional diagram of the telescopicstructure 110 in FIG. 3. The telescopic structure 110 comprises a presspart 112 having a first incline 112 a and a third incline 112 b, a firstelastic part 114, a second elastic part 116, a first slide part 118having a second incline 118 a, and a second slide part 120 having afourth incline 120 a. The first elastic part 114 is connected to thepress part 112. The second elastic part 116 is connected to the firstslide part 118 and the second slide part 120.

Please continue to refer to FIG. 4. The relative slide between the firstincline 112 a and the second incline 118 a and the relative slidebetween the third incline 112 b and the fourth incline 120 a areutilized to change the length of the telescopic structure 110. That isto say, when the user wants to move the display device 20, the user canexert a force on the press part 112 to let the press part 112 move alongthe −y direction shown in FIG. 4. Then, the first incline 112 a slidesrelative to the second incline 118 a so that the first slide part 118can move along the −x direction shown in FIG. 4. Meanwhile, the thirdincline 112 b also slides relative to the fourth incline 120 a so thatthe second slide part 120 can move along the +x direction shown in FIG.4. In such a manner, the length of the telescopic structure 110 in the xdirection can be shortened so that the slide device 106 can be movableinside the groove structure 108. Furthermore, when the user has movedthe location of the slide device 106 from the original position toanother position, the user can stop exerting the force on the press part112. Then, the press part 112 moves along the +y direction shown in FIG.4 because of the elasticity of the first elastic part 114 so that thelocation of the press part 112 can go back to the original location. Atthe same time, the first slide part 118 and the second slide part 120also moves along the +x and −x direction shown in FIG. 4 respectivelybecause of the elasticity of the second elastic part 116 so that thelength of the telescopic structure 110 in the x direction can go back tothe original length. Therefore, the telescopic structure 110 can beengaged with the groove structure 108 again. In other words, when theposition of the display device 20 is adjusted to where the user can seeinformation displayed on the screen 16 clearly through the displaydevice 20, the user can use the telescopic structure 110 to fix thedistance between the screen 16 and the display device 20.

Furthermore, the connection mechanism of the present invention can alsonot have the function of adjusting the distance between the displaydevice and the frame. That is to say, the distance between the displaydevice and the frame can be fixed to the focal distance of the displaydevice.

A combination of a display device and a frame is utilized to zoominformation displayed on a screen of an electronic device disposed atthe frame according to the present invention. In such a manner, the usercan see information displayed on the screen clearly through the displaydevice. When applied to a GPS cellular phone, the display device can bea magnifying glass. Therefore, the user can see roadway informationdisplayed on the screen of the GPS cellular phone clearly through themagnifying glass.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

1. A vehicular holding module comprising: a frame for holding anelectronic device having a screen; and a display device disposed at aside of the frame, for zooming information displayed on the screen. 2.The vehicular holding module of claim 1 further comprising a connectionmechanism connected to the display device and the frame, for supportingthe display device at the side of the frame.
 3. The vehicular holdingmodule of claim 2, wherein the connection mechanism comprises: a fixedpart fixed to the frame, the fixed part having a tooth structure; agear; and a transmission part meshed with the gear and the toothstructure and connected to the display device.
 4. The vehicular holdingmodule of claim 3, wherein the display device is pivotally connected tothe transmission part.
 5. The vehicular holding module of claim 3,wherein the transmission part is a tooth belt.
 6. The vehicular holdingmodule of claim 1, wherein the display device is a magnifying glass. 7.The vehicular holding module of claim 1, wherein the frame has atelescopic part for adjusting a holding area of the frame.
 8. Avehicular electronic module comprising: an electronic device having ascreen; a frame for holding the electronic device; and a display devicedisposed at a side of the frame, for zooming information displayed onthe screen.
 9. The vehicular electronic module of claim 8 furthercomprising a connection mechanism connected to the display device andthe frame, for supporting the display device at the side of the frame.10. The vehicular electronic module of claim 9, wherein the connectionmechanism comprises: a fixed part fixed to the frame, the fixed parthaving a tooth structure; a gear; and a transmission part meshed withthe gear and the tooth structure and connected to the display device.11. The vehicular electronic module of claim 10, wherein the displaydevice is pivotally connected to the transmission part.
 12. Thevehicular electronic module of claim 10, wherein the transmission partis a tooth belt.
 13. The vehicular electronic module of claim 8, whereinthe display device is a magnifying glass.
 14. The vehicular electronicmodule of claim 8, wherein the frame has a telescopic part for adjustinga holding area of the frame.